3/25/07
Oh my goodness! I'm writing this at like, 12:08 A.M….So yeah, if this chappy totally utterly sucks, I'm really sorry. I promised less time between chapters and by golly (did I just say that? Wow what am I? Beaver Cleaver? O.o) I'mma do it!
Btw, I've been listening to Taylor Swift for the past 2 weeks (Thanks to Samantha for burning the CD for me!) So I may end up twisting a bit of that into here. So yeah…
Anyways! April 1st-8th I will defiantly not be online at all (what's new am I right? XD) because of Spring Break. I'll be in D.C. What fun no? Sooooo exciting…
Yes Panda, that was sarcasm...get over it…Shutyerface…
ANYWAYS! Yeah I know I say that a lot shut up. So this I can already tell will be a crappy chapter, indeedy-dooooo…deeeee…dodedodedodedooooo ok I'm wasting time, ON WITH THE FIC::chaaaaaaarge::
-Ch. 5 Recovery-
Five days. They had been hiding away in that little, damp, dark cave for over five days. No one had come by the general area, so on the third day Zuko had gone out for food. He came back a few hours later with some fruit, and a few small dead animals. Aang had finally woken up that night, just as Zuko was setting a couple squirrel mice on a stick to be placed by the tiny fire he had created. He felt something cold on his back and a few spots on his face, but when he reached behind to feel, Zuko's voice stopped him.
"Don't mess with them or they'll come off. They're herbs and leaves I was able to find to help. Uncle…showed me which ones were best, so you should be fine." Zuko reached behind and pulled out a yellow-green apple and tossed it to Aang, who caught it and just stared. "In case you forgot how to, you're suppose to eat it. You won't get any better without some food in you."
Aang looked up at Zuko, utter confusion written all over his face. "But…" He looked down at the apple again, he WAS very hungry, but he had notice that all the rest and plants had helped. He's head wasn't pounding as it normally did when he woke up, his fever was down, and his stomach wasn't twisting up a lot. He looked back up to Zuko, who had grabbed himself an apple as well and was taking a bite from it. "Why would you help me? I thought you hated me?" had Zuko's brain gotten all messed up being in that cell? Was that why…he was being nice to Aang?
But Zuko just looked at him, then toward the fire, avoiding those big brown eyes. "The Fire Nation wants nothing to do with me, Avatar or no Avatar. So what's the point anymore?"
With that, he got up, and walked out the cave into the cool night air. Nothing else was said; Aang looked back to the apple, and took a bite. That Zuko…he was a weird guy sometimes…
Two more days of this went by, Aang would sleep a lot and when he would wake up he'd find he'd been supplied with fresh herbs on his wounds, and food close to him. Sometimes Zuko was there when he would rise, but he wouldn't ever give Aang even a glance as the Air Bender would reach over, take some food, and lay back down. Other times Zuko was nowhere to be found, and Aang would lie on his side facing the entrance of the cave, wondering where he could be before falling back to sleep.
By the fifth day Aang was feeling a whole lot better. His cuts and bruises on his face were healed, and on his back all was left were marks that faded from light red to pinkish to white. Wither he wanted it or not, those marks would remain permanent scars on the boy's back. This time he'd woken up just as the sun was setting, the yellow to orange and purple hues fading in the distance, but the remaining light shining in their little hideaway. Aang rose to his feet, wobbling a bit from lack of use of his legs, and walked carefully over to the entrance using the nearby wall as support. He stood there in the mouth of the little cave, starting out into the sky, examining every detail of the fading colors with a mixture of relief and peace. It had been so long since he had seen the light of day, and although the sun was done for today, it made his chest swell knowing he was well and alive and able to enjoy such a beautiful sight.
He looked down from the sunset, and was surprised to see that Zuko was sitting on a nearby rock, watching the fading sun just as Aang was doing moments before. Aang contemplated on wither or not he should go down there and say something to the older teen, or just go back inside. A few seconds past, and Aang took a deep breathe and let it out as a long sigh. Well, might as well give it a shot…
Carefully, using rocks, vines, and tree branches for support, Aang made his way down until he was just steps behind Zuko. With caution, as if one wrong move he'd have his head bitten off, he walked over to the fire bender. Zuko didn't move at all, and Aang didn't really sense any aggression, so he carefully, slowly, came beside Zuko and sat down on the rock. Again, he looked up at the sky, the light and dark blues of night starting to overlap and take over the yellows and golds of day. Aang looked over to Zuko, and noticed the older's face. He was totally calm, the usual cold hard look replaced with one of deep thought. Aang couldn't help but study every detail of Zuko's face, from the now dark short hair he was sporting, fine pale skin, set jaw line and…
Those eyes, that scar…There were so many questions he wanted to ask about that scar, but no, now was not the time.
Aang was surprised to see Zuko's eyes move to look to him, with that sort of 'Well, what is it?' look. Aang felt the blood rush up in his cheeks and he looked away. Just how long had Zuko been looking at him like that? He rubbed the back of his bald head, the slight hint of stubble bumped on his fingers.
"So ummm…?" Great, he'd come over here to say something, but had absolutely no idea what he was going to say! Stupid, stupid ,stupid! Aang mentally smacked himself in the face for that one.
There was shuffling beside him, "In a couple more days, we'll leave to find our way back to Bah Sing Sei. Your friends are probably worried where their little Avatar's been. I wouldn't be surprised if the water tribe girl had a heart attack over your disappearing act."
Aang would have usually taken offense at the stab to Katara, but for some reason, all he really felt was a bit of confusion. Was that it? Was that all he was gunna say about it? And before Aang knew it, he'd blunted out the question that'd been on his mind since he'd awake that night in the cave…
"WHY DID YOU SAVE ME?!"
He quickly covered his mouth, had he really just done that? Shiiiit, not smart Aang, remember, dealing with angry fire guy who hates your guts?
At least, so he thought…Did Zuko really still hate him? Aang wondered…
"Honestly, I don't know…"
Aang looked to see Zuko was staring at him, which only made Aang feel all the more embarrassed. But then Zuko looked away, and continued…
"I don't really know why I bothered. I could have just left you there to die, hell; I could have killed you already and headed back to Bah Sing Sei myself. But…something…stopped me…This feeling…I dunno…" He looked down at the ground. Aang just stared at him, kinda dumb folded. Zuko shuffled a bit, before getting up and walking back to the cave. Aang quickly turned around, staring after him before scrambling up himself.
"WAIT!"
Zuko stopped, turned his head slightly to face the young Air bender. Aang balled his fists by his sides, the blush deep across his cheeks and nose. He looked down, shaking. Why was he so nervous? Why was he acting this way?!
"I…"
Why?...
"I wanted…to…"
Why did he?
"Tell you…"
Feel…
"I…"
This…
"wanted…"
Way?
"To…to…"
This feeling…
"To thank you…"
It was the same way…
"Thank you…for…"
The same way he had once felt…
"For saving me…and…"
About Katara?
"And…I…"
He shouldn't be feeling this way!
"I wanted to…"
And yet…
"Say…that…"
It felt…
"I…I think…"
This was wrong, it was all wrong. He shouldn't be feeling this way, he should only feel this way about one person. And yet…
"I think I…"
And yet this felt so right, it felt like the one person he felt this for was…
"I THINK I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU!"
Zuko.
Silence. Dead on awkward silence from both boys. Not one of them moved, neither even dared to breathe. The silence was broke as a murder of crows cawed loudly and flapped away out of some trees a way aways, flying into the dark night sky. The last glimpse of sun dropped, and they were left in the cool darkness of the night.
Aang didn't dare look up to see the look on Zuko's face. He was shaking so bad he though his legs would give way and he'd fall down off the rock. What the fuck had he just said? Was it even true was he said? Why? WHY THE FUCK HAD HE'D GONE AND SAID THAT? HE DIDN'T MEAN A WORD OF IT! NO WAY! IT COULDN'T BE! Yet…
It was true. He'd gone over in his head the time he'd spent with Zuko, and he'd found that everything about the Prince fascinated him. He hadn't though at all about Katara or Sokka or Troph at all these past weeks of his capture. He hadn't worried about Appa in so long. All of his thoughts were directed to one person and one person only.
And that person stood mere feet away from him, frozen on the spot. And in those silent moments Aang just prayed this was all just a dream and that he hadn't really done what he'd just did. He couldn't have…it couldn't have…
And then BAM! Aang yelped and sat straight up. His body was covered in cold sweat, and he gasped for air. After a few seconds, he realized he was still in the cave and it was raining outside.
So…it…it had been all a dream? It really was a dream? Aang let out a long deep breathe. His hands shook as he clenched his fists, sitting there staring at the floor. He was so relieved that it really had been a dream, everything had been so real. But…he also felt…disappointed? Why was he so disappointed?
"So, you're awake now…"
Aang's eyes widened and he jerked his head to the side to see Zuko sitting up against the wall, legs pulled up with arms casually laying over top his knees. The last of the fire was smoldering a little ways beside him, and he was just staring up at the ceiling, not at all phased by Aang's outburst.
Ok Aang, act cool. It's not like he can dive into your head and see what you just dreamt. "Uuuuh…yeah...What'd I miss?"
"Not much, you were kinda squirming in your sleep, but I didn't wanna wake you up."
"Oh…ok…"
The usual awkward silence came up as both boys sat in the orange glow of the smoldering fire. A while pasted, and Aang looked up to Zuko. "Hey, listen…I wanted to ask you…"
"Why I save you instead of just letting you die? I've told you this before…"
"Yeah I know but," Aang racked his brain for the right thing to say; finally he just figured he might as well just be blunt. "Why did you stay? Why did you even bothering caring for me at all? I thought…you hated me?"
His question was met with silence, and for a long time neither said a thing, the only sounds being the occasional close thunder and of the rain falling just outside.
Aang mind had wandered off a bit, but he was instantly brought back to reality when a smooth pale hand lightly touched his chin. He looked up to the owner of the hand, who was staring at him intently, no emotion showing in that set face. Heat rose in Aang face, ok, this was starting to get reeeeeeeally uncomfortable. But no matter what Aang did Zuko showed nothing that indicated his next move or just why he was staring at the Air bender like he was.
And as sudden as Zuko had Aang by the chin, said Prince had closed the gap between the two and pressed his lips against Aang's. Said Air Bender's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, millions of zillions of questions racing through his head before, like the fire, smoldered into a haze, and he closed his eyes, and a tiny pleasure moan escaped the younger's throat. Zuko just pressed his mouth harder on Aang's, sliding his tongue across his mouth before Aang allowed him entrance and dove in to the Air bender's mouth. There was the sound of shuffling clothes and bodies, till Zuko had pinned Aang to the wall, hands on those slim hips and Aang's arms wrapped around his neck. Hands moved slightly from hips to sides and necks to backs and backs closer to walls until it was as if both boys were stuck in a lip lock as the older practically straddled that small waist.
And as sudden as the kiss started, it ended all too soon for Aang. Both boys let go and gasped for breath, staring at each other flushed and slightly sweaty. Their breathing and the calm pattering of rain the only sounds left, the embers of the fire now all faded leaving the two in darkness. They both just stared each other, breathing regulated. The same question in both Aang and Zuko's minds...
What the heck just happened?
BUHAHAHAHAHA!!! AHAHAHA-HACK-cough-Ack::coughing fit::
Ahem, I'm ok O.o.
Anyways, yeah I'mma seriously not happy with this chapter, but like they said, you're your own worst critic. I dunno I just…kinda think this started a bit too fast. At 1st I was like "Ok, they are defiantly gunna kiss in this chapter, they HAVE TOO!" but then I didn't know how to do that, so I gave up and was all "Screw it, Aang's gunna be blunt." But then I ended up twisting that part around, so that was fun. Hehe, the dream idea came really as an accident, but I'm glad I used it.
So, LOOK MY DEAR READERS! ACTUAL FLUFF IN THIS CHAPPY! YAAAAAAY::spaz:: I'm so proud, although I kinda hated this chapter at least we're finally getting the fluffy chapters going. Of course, there will still be looooooads of drama, because well, I'm amazing that way. Comma comma comma. Man I use commas a lot, lots lots lots, I need to stop that, really, stop it, I'm serious, AHHH!
Maybe I have some sort of disease that makes me use commas a lot…::shrug:: oh well.
So as usual, I live and breathe for reviews, so like…review me…please…Be much appreciated.
Also I'd like to thank some of my readers for giving me some information on things because, well, their amazing. Really, I love all my reviews and readers, you guys rock my socks!
So yeah, hopefully gunna get chapter…wow we're gunna be on 6 next huh? Big steps, big big biiiiiiiig steps huh? Till then moi hunies!
So long, and thanks for all the fish!
-Bunny out!
4/9/07
FINALLY I GOT THESE UP PLZ DUN'T HATE MAH OK I WUB ROO BAI BAI!
Special thanks to Joker, my Beta Fish, for staying up real late fixing this as best she could while half asleep. I LOVE YA GIRLIE:3